Reminiscence
by Krypto
Summary: Past, to Present, to Future. Continuing story about Clark and Chloe
1. Beginning

Disclaimer: I don't own Smallville, it's characters, or a good computer. So don't sue me. Ok?  
  
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***5th grade, 1st period***  
  
"Umm.. is anyone sitting here?" a timid little girl asked.  
  
"No, are you new here?" a tall 5th grader replied.  
  
"Yeah, I just moved from Metropolis. My name's Chloe, what's yours?"  
  
"Clark. Clark Kent. My parents own the big farm near the town entrance," the boy beamed.  
  
"Class! Please quiet down, we have a new student today. Her name is Chloe Sullivan. Ms. Sullivan, you can sit next to Mr. Kent. Would anyone like to volunteer to give Ms. Sullivan a tour of her new school?"  
  
Clark looked at the new student. He felt odd. She was just a girl, but something about her made him feel odd. He was in 5th grade, its not like he didn't like girls yet, but something about her was different. His hand immediately rose to volunteer to show her around. Maybe he could figure out what was making him feel so strange.  
  
"All right, Clark, she will sit next to you in her classes and you can update her on what we are working on."  
  
"Hey, thanks," the girl whispered to Clark.  
  
"No problem, just stick by me and it'll be ok," he answered, smiling an luminous smile.  
  
-- Lunchtime --  
  
"Well, this is the cafeteria. You can sit with me and Pete today."  
  
"Who's Pete?" Chloe asked curiously.  
  
"Pete's my best friend. He's really cool, you'll like him," he explained.  
  
"Hi Clark. Who is this? Your girlfriend or something?" Pete said smirking.  
  
"I'm nobody's girlfriend. And don't you forget that," the girl spat.  
  
"Sorry, I didn't mean any harm. I just assumed.." Pete was cut off.  
  
"That's what you get for assuming. Don't do it again and maybe I won't have to put you in the garbage can," she threatened jokingly.  
  
"Hahahaha, your pretty funny.. umm what's your name," Pete chuckled.  
  
"Her name is Chloe. I'm showing her around," Clark answered for her.  
  
"I can speak for myself, I'm not some dumb football player"  
  
The three shared in a laugh and sat down to eat their lunches. The beginning of a great friendship. 


	2. Fisrt Kiss

***7th grade, Valentines Day***  
  
Children scurried all over the room, giving out valentines to everybody. Candy circulated like currency in the chaotic room. Chloe Sullivan sat with her two best friends Clark and Pete ate candy bars. Chloe didn't know why but she was very excited about receiving a valentine from her friend Clark. Why? She didn't exactly know, they were just friends anyway. It wasn't like the valentines that Lana and Whittney gave to each other.  
  
"Ok, guys, enough waiting. Give me my valentines," the impatient female pre-teen demanded.  
  
"All right, but I pretty much just got both of you candy bars," her friend Pete added. He handed each of his best friends a jumbo sized Butterfinger.  
  
"Your turn Clark."  
  
"Ok. Pete, I just got you a bag of candy. Chloe, I made this in art class," Clark handed out his gifts. A hint of redness almost showed when giving the giant card to Chloe.  
  
"Well here you are guys," Chloe leaned over and kissed each of them on the cheek. Both her friends stared in awe. Clark went completely red. "Oh come on guys, it wasn't that bad. At least this way you got your first kiss from someone you know and not on doing a dare on the bus."  
  
School ended and everyone went their separate ways to enjoy the long weekend ahead. Chloe headed to her father's car still thinking about her Valentine's Day gift. She still felt tingly from kissing Clark. There's no way she liked Clark. did she? No, of course not. Clark was just s friend, but then why did she secretly want to kiss him on the lips? Lost in thought, Chloe didn't notice her classmate skipping toward her with a Polaroid picture held high.  
  
"Chloe wait," a perky girl of the Chloe's same age yelled.  
  
"Oh, hi Lana. What's up?"  
  
"I had my camera today in class and I was taking pictures. I thought you should have this one," the girl said as she handed the picture over.  
  
Chloe went red when she looked at the picture only to see her kissing a red faced Clark on the cheek. "You saw that?"  
  
"Don't worry, I know it was just because you two are friends," Lana assured. "Well, see you on Monday."  
  
Chloe stared in awe at the picture in her hand. Not noticing the look her father had on his face as he peered over her shoulder. "What's this, you have a crush on Clark now?" her father jokingly asked.  
  
"No dad, he's just a friend," she said, not truly believing herself. 


	3. Plans not set in stone

***9th grade, Torch offices***  
  
Three friends hang out together in silence. One types furiously at a computer screen. Another lies across a few chairs lazily reading old issues of the Torch. The final one sits in the corner of the room, observing the almost invisible glances being constantly thrown across the room.  
  
'These two are hopeless,' mused Pete. 'Both obviously have a crush on the other, but are too blind to see the other looking. Guess Clark couldn't hide it anymore. Started making up that whole thing with Lana. Oh well, not like I can say anything since both swore me to secrecy when I told them I knew. I wonder what would happen if I just blurted it out, it would make things a lot easier.'  
  
"Are we gonna go to the Beanery or what? As fun as it is wasting away here, this isn't my idea of fun," Pete said breaking the silence.  
  
"Just wait. Let me finish this article then we can go," retorted Chloe.  
  
5 minutes passed before Chloe once again spoke up. "Ok, lets go guys."  
  
The three jumped into Clarks new ride, generously furbished by a one Lex Luthor. The beanery was nothing new; it was the general hangout for the three comrades during most after school hours. It was really only the hangout because neither Pete nor Clark wanted to deal with an after school Chloe if she didn't have her coffee.  
  
"You guys get dates to Homecoming yet?" Pete inquired.  
  
"No, I think I'm going to bow out of the whole school sponsored social events," Chloe answered.  
  
"All of them? But what about stuff like prom? You don't plan on missing those too?"  
  
"I wouldn't be caught dead at prom without a date. Plus, why worry about that? Prom is only for seniors," Chloe retorted.  
  
"You gotta plan ahead for things like that," Pete chimed. "Also, what makes you think you won't have a date for prom?"  
  
"You mean other than the lack of male attention I get?"  
  
"I'm sure somebody would ask you," Pete added, slightly elbowing Clark.  
  
"Uh. Yeah. How about this? If neither me nor you have a date by the time prom comes around, we'll go together," Clark said nervously.  
  
"Well, I guess that would work," she replied.  
  
"All right then, nothing to worry about," Pete said smiling.  
  
Conversation returned to normal teenage banter, from after school jobs to future plans. Finally, the trio headed back on the brand new truck. Even though he was first to leave, Pete couldn't help notice the hopeful hidden smile lighted in his friends' eyes. 


	4. Seniors

***12th grade, senior prom***  
  
Clark and Chloe stood close together near the punch bowl listening to the music. Pete swaggered over from his date to chat.  
  
"Four years you had, if I didn't know better, I'd think you didn't get dates on purpose," Pete playfully said. "Well I better see some dancing out of you two wallflowers."  
  
"We're not wallflowers, we are just enjoying the lesser parts of prom," Chloe retorted.  
  
"Oh really, like what?" Pete inquired.  
  
"This is really good punch," Clark joked.  
  
"I stand by my statement," Pete said. "Wait, you two have to dance to dance to this song."  
  
"Isn't this kind of a slow song?" Chloe asked. Pete just smiled and turned back to his date. Clark took a few moments to work up the courage then spoke.  
  
"Well, prom is a once in a lifetime experience. So my lady, may I have this dance?"  
  
"Of course," Chloe answered smiling.  
  
Clark led best friend onto the dance floor and clumsily positioned himself in a "slow song position". The couple danced, eyes locked. They didn't stop with the music; they continued to become lost in the other. Finally they stopped after bumping into another couple. Embarrassed, the two friends moved back off the dance floor.  
  
"You didn't have to take me here Clark. I know a few people who asked you," Chloe said quietly.  
  
"I wanted to come here with you Clo'," Clark responded in an almost whisper.  
  
"You did?"  
  
"Listen, I know this is the wrong time. I know you are going off to metropolis university while I stay here but here goes. I have a huge crush on you. When I think about it, I actually have always had it. Since the first time we met in 5th grade. I always thought you were special." Clark had gotten softer almost with each word. The end being almost inaudible.  
  
Chloe sat in a state of shock. The person she had been in love with since 7th grade just said that he had had a crush on her longer than she him. The most outspoken person in all of Smallville High was left at a loss for words. She did the only thing she could think of.  
  
"Do you remember 7th grade? I gave you and Pete a kiss on the cheek for Valentine's Day. Well, this is what I always wanted to do." Quicker it seemed even than Clark's super reflexes, Chloe grabbed Clark and kissed him with all the passion building since that fateful junior high Valentine's Day.  
  
--Graduation-  
  
The ceremony had long since ended and the seniors were dismissed as men and women, fully accredited by their high school. Two lone figures sat together, still inside the school. Silence prevailed for over half an hour.  
  
"When do you leave?"  
  
"Tomorrow. My parents have set me up with an aunt who still lives in Metropolis."  
  
"I guess this is the last time I will see you."  
  
"We'll find each other again."  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"We spent so long ignoring our feelings. Fate owes us."  
  
"I don't want to say goodbye, even if we do see each other again. Who knows when that could be?"  
  
"Don't, you don't say good bye to someone you are going to see again. I'll just see you later"  
  
"Yeah, see you later."  
  
The figures stood, locked in one last kiss, and parted ways. 


	5. Ending and a new Beginning

***Kent Residence, apartment 15d***  
  
The secret identity of the world's most recognizable superhero reaches his door to check for mail. Picking up his mail, he sorts through bills and junk. Something different is there. A worn white envelope, no stamp, no address, no return address. Clark carefully opens the envelope to discover its contents, an old worn Polaroid photo. Scanning the picture more closely, recognition lights his eyes. It's a picture of himself, beet red, being kissed on the cheek by a face that he had only seen in his dreams for the past 10 years. A short note falls out of the envelope. 'The only place with a decent coffee around these parts'  
  
Clark thought he should have called his parents; let them know he was coming home. It really wouldn't matter though since he could bee there before the conversation ended. In a blur, he flies to the closest thing he can place to home. Even before going home, he slows down and peers in the coffee shop that used to be called "The Beanery". She's not there? Duh Kent, obviously if she put the note on your door she still has to take a plane back. Slowly as to waste as much time as possible, Clark walked the 3 miles back to his old home.  
  
"Mom, Dad, I'm home!!" Clark yelled. Martha and Jonathon Kent came out of the barn with giant smiles.  
  
"I told her you'd probably be back before her. I told her to just mail the letter," Martha mused.  
  
"You've talked to Chloe? When is she coming back?"  
  
"Just hold on son," Jonathon said. "She'll be back in about an hour or so. You can wait here, although I doubt you will."  
  
Clark just smiled. "You know me too well. I'll be back before she arrives." With that, he sped off.  
  
Chloe stomach was full of butterflies as she touched down. If Martha was right, he'd already be at the old coffee shop. Chloe drove as quickly as legally possible to the old beanery. Clark sat in the same spot as we used to hang out. I approached him silently, my smile growing as I got closer. He looked up and smiled at me.  
  
"Do you want to start, or me?" Chloe asked  
  
"There is more to tell than can be said in the time this place is still open."  
  
"Where are we off to then?"  
  
"The farm, your house, and then the church. I don't care about anything else that happens in my life as long as I know you will always be there beside me."  
  
With that, Clark pulled a small box out his pocket and opened it to display the most gorgeous diamond ring Chloe had ever seen. She smiled. Jumping into his arms, Chloe kissed her love and whispered softly into his ear.  
  
"I already scheduled the honeymoon." 


End file.
